Gout: Know what it is and what you can do about it

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by: Aneron Kepasil
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Word Count: 484
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 Time: 4:10 AM
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Gout is a painful condition that occurs when the body cannot adequately eliminate the uric acid that builds up in the system, causing crystallized uric acid to form in the joints. A form of arthritis, gout can take months or years to build up to critical mass, at which time is becomes extremely painful, with inflammation developing in the joint of the big toe, as well as the joints of the ankles, hips, knees, fingers, heels, thumbs and inset of the feet.

What is Gout? Gout is the result of too much uric acid that builds up in the body over a period of time.
The uric acid forms very sharp crystals that cluster around the joints causing the pain, inflammation
and tenderness associated with gout. Since gout is caused by the formation of uric acid crystals
that the body does not get rid of you need to know about some factors that might cause gout.

Most doctors will use prescription medicines as the treatment for gout. A medicine called colchicine will help reduce inflammation, swelling and pain caused by sudden gout attacks. The medicine works by decreasing the uric acid crystals built up in the joint. However, the medicine does not reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood stream. Most often the pain usually goes away in about twelve hours of starting the treatment for gout, and is completely relieved by 48 hours. Taking the medicines colchicine, or allopurinol, usually prevents future attacks.

Taking large amounts of vitamin C serves as an effective medicine for gout. A study was conducted where two groups of people were given different vitamin C intakes. The people given more than 1,500 mg of vitamin C a day were 40% less prone to getting gout than those who consumed less than 200 mg a day. Doctors are commonly prescribing vitamin C to their patients today to combat the gout.

As another effective treatment for gout, your doctor may suggest that you take anti-inflammatory, non-steroidal medicines. These medicines should be takes as soon as the symptoms start to relieve inflammation and pain. Occasionally, as another treatment for gout, strong painkillers may be prescribed. Corticosteroids could also be another effective treatment for gout. Your doctor may inject corticosteroids into your joints to ease the pain.

Bioflavonoids that occur naturally in mulberries have natural anti-inflammatory properties. Mulberries have been used to treat gout in China for centuries. The goal of all gout toe treatments is to improve the digestion and absorption of purines, improve the digestion of this chemical, and expel uric acid from the blood stream. One of the most effective all-natural products that achieves this goal is Goutezol. Additional information about this supplement derived from the mulberry tree can be found at www.goutezol.com Remember to check with your family doctor before beginning any gout toe treatment.

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Learn more about Gout Diets. Stop by our site where you can find out all about What is Devil's Claw? Why is Devil's Claw a Natural Remedy for Gout?.

Comments

Sat, 6 Mar 2010 at 11:55 AM, by Guest
Why is it that humans can move their eyes in opposite directions toward the nose, but not away from the nose?

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